Slicing machine



Nov. 8, 1938. G. A. SCHMITT 2,136,319

SLIGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1956 7 Sheets-sheaf. 1

Moms

Nov. s, 1938. I T 2,136,319

SLICING MACHINE Filed Jan. '7, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEO/965i 56/01/77Nov. 8, 1938. G. A. SCHMITT 2,135,319

' SLICING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet s mllwm Gum/M 3 sNov. s, 1938. G. A. SCHMITT 2,136,319

SLIC ING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1936 V 7 Shgets-Sheet 5 SUM/um; 5

NOV. 8, 1938. sg n- 2,136,319

SLICING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 195a 7 Sheets-Sheet v 'aiilllllllllllflGuam iii

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 PAFTENTOFFICEL SLICING MACHINE George A. Schmitt,Boise, Idaho:

Application January 7,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in aslicing machine, and more particularly to that type of mechanism knownas a potato slicer, wherein it is desirable to produce a uniformwafer-like slice which is subsequently treated, as by being cooked, andproduced on the market as the well-known "potato chips.

' Manufacturers in this particular line have found it extremelydifficulty to produce a sliced product which will retain its freshnessand crispness for any extended period of time and, therefore, theirsales have been confined more or less to local territory. In theheretofore known potato-slicing machines the wafer-like slices areproduced by a reciprocatory knife which severs the product in straightcuts; and when such slices are cooked they bend and curl into variousshapes and forms, are extremely brittle and, therefore, hard to handlein the disposal of the same in their desired condition to thepublic. It

also has been found that the curls and twists of such produced waferstend to form pockets for the reception of portions of other wafers whichthrough their extended surface contact start the action of fermentationbetween said contacting parts and thus deteriorate the value of theproduct.

It is the main object of the present invention to overcome theabove-mentioned objections by producing a slice which is cross-scored onits opposed faces and in different planes. This grooving or scoringtends to more or less stiffen the body of the cooked slice so that lessbreakage takes place during the handling of the product, and the cookedslices, furthermore, will not assume the curled and twisted forms, socharacteristic of the now produced potato chips.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a machineemploying a single recip-' rocatory knife which is alternately shiftedinto different angular positions, relative to the stock to be sliced,whereby the opposite faces of the slice will be cut in different planes.

A still further object resides in thenovel manner of actuating thesingle knife from a pair of operative mechanisms with which the knife isalternately associated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a slice gauge bywhich the thickness of the slice produced may be governed.

A further object resides in the novel manner of positively releasing thesliced product from the machine, thereby preventing the adherence of theslice to the face-plate of the gauging element.

/A still further aim of the invention resides in 1936, Serial No. 57,971

into play at the instant of the engagement of the stock with thegauge-plate of the machine.

Another object of the invention is the novel manner of directing thearticles from the hopper to the feed trough so that said articles willbe longitudinally disposed therein.

'These and other objects will'readily present I themselves to thoseskilled in this particular art when the following specification is readin connection with the/attached drawings, wherein I have illustrated thepreferred form of myinvention; but it is to be understood that certainchanges and modifications may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention. The scope of protection contemplated willappear from the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine partly insection;

Figure 2 is a front view of the machine showing the knife associatedwith one of the operating arms and in position for its cutting stroke;

I Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section-illustratingthe operation of the actuating arms with which the knife is alternatelycoupled;

Figure 4 is a similar view, but showing the parts in their fullyelevated or retracted. position, in which position the knife shiftinglever has been swung on its pivot and'the knife thereby moved intoactiveassociation with the opposed arm;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the fore-portion of the machine, showingthe drive-shaft and the underlying. slidable head with therearwardlyextending rods;

. Figure 6 is a sectional view showing the slidable head in section andthe lock-plate shifted to engage the operating rod at the left of saidview;

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 8 is a side View of the construction shown in Figure 5, therearwardly-extending arms being omitted and the slidable head insection, for the purpose of clarity; b

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the mechanism by whichthe knife-shifting lever is alternately moved fromright to left onsuccessive strokes of the apparatus I Figure 10 is a view partly insection showing the mechanism for alternately shifting the lockplatethrough the movements of the cross-arm of the knife-shift lever;

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail view of a guard element which isassociated with the slicing knife to prevent retraction of the slices asthe knife is moved in an upward direction;

Figure 12 is a detail view, partly in section, of the slice-gaugingplate used in connection with the machine;

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional View of the gaugeplate and its associatedparts as shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower portion of themachine illustrating the feed trough and the conveyor by which thearticles are fed to the action of the slicing knife;

Figure 15 is an enlarged detail View of the shiftable knife-supportingframe;

Figure 16 is a further detail view, partly in section, showing the knifeframe coupled to one of the reciprocatorily-actuated members;

Figures 17 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of feedmechanism;

Figure 18 is a transverse sectional View of the construction shown inFigure 1'7;

Figure 19 is a detail view of the feed-releasing mechanism by which theprogressive feed of the conveyor may be terminated at the instant ofcontact of the article with the gauging element located at the exit endof the feed trough, thereby relieving the feed mechanism from excessivestrain;

Figure 20 is an end View of the feed-releasing mechanism shown in Figure19; and

Figure 21 illustrates the product that will be produced in this machine,showing the crossscoring or grooving on the opposite faces of the slice.

In order to more fully understand the present invention, reference willnow be made to the detail parts which enter into the combination to formthe complete machine.

The base-plate I may be so formed as to be clamped, as at 2, to a tabletop as indicated at 3 or, if desired, the table top may constitute thebase-plate of the machine. Secured at the forward end of the base-platel is an upstanding plate '4 which forms the support for the slicingmechanism. The plate 4 is provided with a forwardly-extending circularflange 5 to the forward face of which is secured by screws 16 thearcuate plate-member I. This member 7 is grooved as indicated at 8 andforms, with a companion groove 9 within the shiftable segmental frame10, a race-way forthe reception of bearings ll which facilitate theshifting movements of the frame [5. Extending forwardly from the frameID are a plurality of bars i 2 which are apertured to form slidebearings for the side arms l3 of a reciprocatory knife frame 14. Securedin any desired manner within this frame and extending from side arm toside arm thereof is a slicing knife I5. This knife, as shown in thepresent invention, is of wave-like or corrugated form and is held inplace within the frame I4 by pressure screws H5. The knife frame isfurthermore provided at its upper portion with a rearwardly-extendingpin H and a roller [8 for a purpose that will hereinafter appear.Secured to the forward ends of the upper bars 12 by attaching screws 49is a guard element 29 which, as shown in Figure 11, is provided with acorrugated inner face 2| to closely align with the surface of theslicing knife I5. The purpose of this guard will be hereinafterdescribed.

Extending longitudinally of the machine and at the top portion thereofis a drive shaft 22 provided with any conventional take-off from themotive power of the machine; and for the purpose of illustration thereis shown a belt pulley 23 keyed to the shaft 22. Keyed to the forwardend of the shaft 22 is a rotatable disc 24 having a pin 25 securedthereto. One end of a drive pitman 26 is connected to the pin 25 and theopposite end of the pitman is pivotally connected to a verticallymovable slide block 21. This block 21 is slidably mounted on thevertically-extending rod 28 which is attached at its upper end to aforwardly-extending arm 29 and at its lower end to the arm 39. The slideblock 2'! has a rearwardly-extending portion or shelf 3| upon which isslidably mounted a lock plate 32. A screw 33 extending through theelongated slot 34in the lock plate 32 prevents the removal of the platebut permits reciprocation thereof. This slide block has a notchedportion 35 within its rear edge and furthermore has beveled areas 38within its side walls, all of which will be further describedhereinafter. Pivotally secured and arranged against the rear face of theslide block 2'! are sleeves 31 which, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, areslotted as at 38.

slidably mounted within the sleeves 31 are rods 39 each of which at itslower end is connected to a pivoted armlifl. The rods 39 are providedwith notches 4| adapted to alternately receive the lock plate 32 andthereby form a mechanical coupling between either one of the rods 39 andthe slide block 21.

The knife shiftinglever 42 is pivotally mounted at its upper end on asupport 43 and its lower end is slotted as at 44 to receive the pin 45which extends forwardly from the shiftable segmental frame It. Theupperend of the lever 42 has cutwardly-directed arm portions 46 to theterminal ends of which are pivotally secured upwardlyextending rods 41.These rods are suitably maintained in their inward positions by means ofsprings 48, as suggested in Figure 9, unless moved or retainedby othermechanical parts during the operation of the machine. The upper ends ofthe rods 41 are provided with hooked portions 49. The arm portions 46 ofthe lever 42 are also provided with upwardly and inwardly directed slotsor groove-ways 50.

Pivotally mounted upon pins 5| extending forwardly from the unstandingplate 4 are slideactuating members 52. These members 52 arespring-tensioned, as at 53 in Figure 10. The movement of each of theseslide-actuating members 52 is accomplished by providing the member withan outstanding pin 54 having thereon a roller 55 which is receivedwithin the adjacent groove-way in the arm portions. The upper ends ofthe slide-actuating members are inwardly beveled, as at 56. and areadapted to cooperate with the beveled areas 36 of the slide block 21.

Pivotally mounted on the support 43 extending to receive therearwardly-extending pin forma tion arranged on the knife frame.

, In order to provide a releasable connection between the drive-shaftand the knife in the event the latter should meet with someobjectionable obstructions, the ends of the arms 48 are recessed, as inFigures 3, 4, and '7, to receive a spring 63 which outwardly urges aball 64. Threadedly engaged within lugs 65 extending forwardly from thearms 51 are adjustable screw-rods 6 6 the inner ends of which aresocketed, as at 61, to receive the spring-pressed balls 64 carried bythe arms 48.

Secured to the under surface of the forwardlyextending arm 29 andprojecting to either side thereof is a spring plate 68 provided withterminal enlarged portions -69 with which the rearwardly-extending rods10 carried by the slide block 21 are adapted to cooperate during theupward stroke of the slide block, as shown in Figure 4. 'Depending latchrods II are pivotally secured at 12 to the ends of the spring plate 68,and in order that the latch rods may move only in a vertical plane theyare guided Within apertured lugs 13 projecting from the face of plate 4.

,Pivotally mounted on supports 14 directly beneath the latch rods H arelevers 15 each of which is provided with an off-set kerfed portion 16adapted to receive the lower end of the superposed latch rod H when thelevers are swung on their pivots. The outer ends of the levers l5.arearranged within the path of movement of pins 11 extending rearwardlyfrom the arms 51.

The inner ends of the levers 15 are offset, as suggested at 18 and areprovided with rollers 19 to constitute retaining means for holding oneor ,the other of the upstanding hooked rods 41 away from the zone ofmovement of the rearwardlyextending rods 18 carried by the slide block21. The release of the latch is accomplished when the rods 10 areelevated to their highest point, as shown in Figure 4, wherein it willbe noted that the rods. 18 have engaged the heads 69 of the spring plateand that the latch rods 10 have been retracted.

i In order to retain the lock plate 32 in its central or neutralposition during certain movements of the machine there is provided ayoke member 80 pivoted at 8| and adapted to coact at its lower end withthe notched portion 35 of the lock plate. Thelower end of the yoke ispointed, as suggested at 82, to assist in the centralization of the lockplate during the latter portion of the upward movement of the slideblock. The yoke is also provided with a spring-pressed pawl 83 which isadapted to coact with the rear surface of the shelf 3| on the slideblock 21 when the latter is moved in a downward direction (see Figure8), thereby swinging the yoke on its pivot and removing the lowerportion of the yoke from looking engagement with the lock plate.

The continued downward movement of the slide block 21 causes it to slippast the pawl and permit the spring 84 to return said vpawl to itsnormal upright position and set for the next downward stroke of theslide block. A trans versely extending spring blade 85, as shown inFigures 8 and 10, urges the pivoted yoke 88 to its forward position, anda pin. 86 extending outwardly from the bar member 29 limits the forwardswing of the yoke 88. The arms 51 are provided with rearwardly-extendingpins 81 which are adapted to coact with retaining pawls 88 so positions.The arms 51 are furthermore provided with extending pins 11 whichareadapted to wipe against the ends of the latch'levers 15during theforepart of the swinging movements of said arms.

The description of the operationof the parts so far described will nowbe given. Assuming that the slide block 2! is in its fully elevatedposition, as shown in Figure 4, the lock plate 32 is centrally disposedand is retained in this position by the engagement of thelower end ofthe yoke within the recess portion of the lock plate '32. The hooked rod41 on the right side of the machine will be engaged by therearwardly-extending rod 10, resulting in the pivoting of the knifeshift-lever to the right. Such action will .cause the swinging of theknife-carrying frame 14 from the left to the right and couple the framewith the actuating member located on the right side of the machine. Theslide-actuating members are set so as to position the member on the leftside of the machine for engagement with the lock plate 32 when the slideblock 21 is lowered. As the slide block descends, the yoke 88 is removedfrom locking engagement with the lock plate and immediately thereafterthe lock plate comesinto engagement with the beveled surface of theslideactuating member onthe left-hand side of the machine. This resultsin a shift of the lock plate'to the right and its engagement within thenotch 4! in the rod 39. The rod being mechanically connected to the arm5] will thereby cause a cutting stroke to be-given to the knife on theright side of the machine. When the arm 51 is moved, the pin 81 slipsfrom engagement with the retaining pawl 88- and the pin 11 ,wipesagainst the end of the latch lever 15, thereby swinging said lever onits pivot'and causing the offset portion I8 at the opposite end of thelever to come the machine, the knife will be retracted to its uppermostposition, at which instant the lower end of the yoke centralizesthe lockplate, and

also the rearwardly-extending rod 18 will engage in the hooked rod 4'!and shift the knife lever to perform the slicing action from the leftside of the machine. The continued upward movement of the slide block 21will cause the rearwardlyextending rods 18 to engage the overlyingspring plate and withdraw the latches I I, thereby releasing the hookedrod 4-! on the right side of the machine so that it will bein positionfor the next upward stroke.

The illustration in Figure 3 shows clearly the full down-stroke of theparts for a slicing action from the left side of the machine, in whichit will be noted that the lock plate is in engagement with the rod 39 onthe left and the hooked rod 4'! on. the right is in position tobeengaged by the rod 18' on the up-stroke, while the hooked rod 41 onthe left is retained in its outward position by the latch lever.

In the present case there is also suggested a feed mechanism 90 wherebythe articles, such as potatoes, are properly fed to the action of theslicingknife l5. 'In this construction there is shown a: hopper 9! intowhich the articles in bulk may be placed and a trough 92 for directingthe articlesfrom the hopper to the slicing knife. The lower wall of thistrough .is in the form of an endless conveyor 93 which is given suitableintermittent forward impulses in any desired manner, and as anillustration of this movement there is suggested a ratchet member 94keyed for rotation with one of the conveyor shafts 95, and coacting withthis ratchet member is a pawl 96 carried by a pivoted lever 91. Thislever 91 is actuated by a link-98-and-a-bar- 99 construction, the barbeing provided with an angularly-extending head I which is actuated bythe pin IIBI mounted on the driven disc 89. In order to prevent therearward movement of the ratchet, a retaining pawl I02 is provided. Thispawl is mounted on a stationary support I03. As shown in Figure 14, theendless conveyor 93 is composed of a series of hingedly-connected platesPivoted blade members I are associated with some of the plates I04 toconstitute pushing elements to propel the potatoes through the trough.The blade members I05 have depending foot portions I06 which are adaptedto have sliding contact with an underlying surface I01 cammed at itsforward end, as at I08, to permit the blade members to swing on theirrespective pivots I09.

Located above the trough 92 and adjacent its outlet end is a series offorwardly-extending spring-fingers IIIl adapted to slightly press on thepotatoes to retain them in their proper position within the trough.These spring-fingers are suitably supported in position through theirconnection with the straps or bars III which extend transversely acrossthe trough and are secured to the side walls thereof. The forward end ofthe trough, including the base and side walls, is beveled, as at H2, andtransversely grooved or corrugated, as at M3, the corrugations beingformed in keeping with the surface formation of the slicing knife.

Adjacent the outlet end of the trough 92 is a gauge-plate II4 associatedwith the lower end of a vertically-extending lever II5 pivoted at I I6to a bracket II'I extending forwardly from the plate 4. The upper end ofthe lever H5 is provided with a head portion I I8 with the inner andupper half portion removed, as at II9, to constitute a high and a lowacting camming surface which is adapted to be acted upon by the pin 25carried by the rotatable disc 24. The lever is constantly held inengagement with the drivepin 25 by a spring I coiled about the pivotalpoint of said lever. The gauge-plate II4 has an internally-threadedsleeve I2I which is slidably received within a socket I22 formed in thelower end of the lever II5. Rotatably retained in the lower part of thelever I I5 and in alignment with the socket I22 there is anexternally-threaded rod I23 adapted to threadedly fit the sleeve I2I andby its movements control the desired adjustment of the gauge-plate.Slidably arranged on the sleeve I2I of the gauge-plate H4 is a disc I24to which is rigidly connected a series of oppositely-extending rods I25.The forward ends of the rods are received within openings I26 formed inthe gauge-plate, while the opposite ends of said rods are positionedwithin and guided by the apertured lugs I2! carried by the lever H5. Thedisc I24 is tensioned toward its retracted position by the spring I28.

The disc I24 and the associated rods I constitute a means for preventingthe slices from adhering to the face of the gauge-plate II4. A memberpivoted at I29 to the lever II5 has a depending arm I30 which at itslower end bears against the outer face of the disc I24 and anangular-extending arm I3I to which the lower end of a rod I32 isattached. The upper end of the rod I32 is rigidly afiixed to thestationary bracket I33. During the operation of the machine the lever Il5 will be positively actuated by the pressure of the pin 25 against thehigh cammed surface of the head II8, so as to cause the gauge-plate tobe in proper gauging position during the slicing operation, after whichthe spring will cause the lower end of the lever to assume its outwardposition as the drive-pin moves to the reduced surface of the head II8.This outward movement of the lower portion of the lever H5 isaccompanied by a pivotal movement of the depending arm I30, therebycausing a push on the disc I 24 and its associated parts, so that anyslice that may adhere to the face of the gauge-plate II4 will be forcedtherefrom by the rods I25. It will also be noted that the closeassociation of the guard element 20 with the slicing knife I5 willprevent the slice from following the upward movement of the knife.

The hopper 9I may be provided with an agitator I34, as suggested inFigure 1, for the purpose of facilitating the feed of the potatoes fromthe hopper to the trough. This agitator may be actuated as, forinstance, from the power shaft of the machine by intermeshing gearsI35-I36. There is also suggested a slip connection in this agitatordrive, which merely consists of a frictional engagement between atapered cone I31, which is keyed to the agitator shaft, and theinternallybeveled surface of the gear element I36. This connection isprovided for the purpose of permitting slippage in train of drive in theevent the agitator should meet with any serious obstruction.

A modified form of conveyor mechanism is illustrated in Figures 1'7, 18,19, and 20, wherein the ransversely-extending bars I38 are each providedWith a series of fingers I39 slidably projecting therethrough. Eachseries of fingers I39 is interconnected at the inner ends of the fingersto' a transversely-extending plate I 40, and between the said plate andthe lower face of bars I38 the fingers are surrounded by an expansionspring MI. The fingers are maintained in their projected positions bythe sliding action of the plate I4 0 on the surface of the cam track I42which terminates at I43 at the forward end of the conveyor. When theplates I slip off the cam track at I43 the springs I4I will immediatelycause a retraction of the fingers below the bottom wall at the forwardend of the trough. To assist in this retracting movement, there is showna pair of levers I44 pivoted at I45 slightly above the upper surface ofthe cam track I42 and eX- tending in a diverging direction, resting attheir forward ends against the hub of the forward sheave of the conveyor93. Springs I46 are used to tensionally hold the levers in thisposition. When the plates I40 approach the forward end of the cam trackI 42 their outer ends will engage the under surface of the levers I44causing the levers to lift against the tension of the springs 5. Whenthe plates I40 leave the cam track at I43, these spring-tensioned leverswill assist in the retraction of the fingers I39. This allows thefingers to swing about the forward sheave of the conveyor without havingan increased propelling force on the potatoes in the forward end of thetrough. The bottom of the trough in this modified form is of slottedformation, as shown at I41, to permit the longitudinal movement of theprojecting fingers. Adjacent the rear end of the trough and below thehopper is a modified form of an agitating element which assists in thelongitudinal'dispositionof the potatoes in the trough.

This construction embodies a pair of longitudinally-extending fingersI48 pivoted at 149 and having at their rear ends cam-engaging surfacesends of any potato" that happens to be transversely disposed and permitthe fingers I39 to pull the opposite end of the potato in a forwarddirection, thereby longitudinally positioning said potato, which will bein proper feeding position for the next series of fingers.

There is also suggested a modified form of the spring-actuated pressurefingers located at the outlet end of the trough. Pivotally mounted ontransversely-extending rods I53 are the fingers I54 which at theirforward end are adapted to contact with the passing potato. The rearends of the fingers are spring-tensioned as at I55. The fingers I54 arealso provided with lugged extensions I56 for coacting withtransversely-extending bar members I51 to thereby limit the pivotalmovements of the fingers under the tension of the spring I55.

In Figures 19 and 20, a modified form of the ratchet feed is suggested,and in this construction the necessary relief of the forward impulses isafforded in keeping with the adjustment of the gauge-plate at the outletend of the trough. In this showing, the ratchet I58 is operated by. thepivoted arm I59 through the spring-pressed pawl I60. The pawl I6Iprevents retrograde movement of the ratchet. The ratchet I 58 isprovided with a circular series of indentations I62 to receive therounded end of a spring-pressed finger I63 carried by an arm I64pivotally mounted on the conveyor. shaft I65. The arm I64 has anarcuated extension I66 to which is secured outstanding pins IG'II68.Rigidly attached to the shaft I65, as by screw I69, is anoutwardlyextending arm I10 which is positioned between the pins ISL-I68.The terminal end of the arm I64 is connected to the outermost end of thearm I'IIJ by a contractible spring I II. The movement of the ratchet I58by the pawl I60 will move the arm I64, 'which through its springconnection with the outstanding arm I10 will cause a forward feed of theconveyor. If by chance this forward impulse is slightly more than isrequired, the spring III will expand to take care of this difference. Ifthis forward impulse is of an excessive character, the pin I68 willadvance until it comes in contact with the outstanding arm I16 whichwill retain the arm I64 and cause the spring-pressed finger I63 toratchet into the following indenture.

What I claim is:

1. In a slicing machine, the combination of a reciprocal knife, amovable support for said knife, a pair of relatively separatedreciprocatory bars arranged adjacent the support, and means for movingthe knife support to alternately shift said knife into active engagementwith the reciprocatory bars.

2. In a slicing machine, the combination of a reciprocal knife, ashiftable frame for supporting the knife, a pair of alternately actuatedknife operating means arranged adjacent the frame, and means forshifting the frame to alternately move the knife into active engagementwith the knife operating means.

3.'In a slicing machine; the combination of a feed trough, means forintermittently advancing the article-through said trough, agauge-plate'at the exit end of the feed trough, a reciprocatory knifeadapted to sever slices from the article projecting beyond the troughandresting against "the'gauge-plate,an'd' a reciprocatory meansassociated with the gauge-plate and adapted to be projected through andbeyond the face thereof after eachcutting operation to prevent theslices fromadhering tothe face of the gauge-plate.

4. In a slicing machine, a reciprocal knife adapted to be actuated inaplurality'ofangularly disposed. cutting positions, reciprocatory meansfor the knife arranged 'ineach of the angularly disposed cuttingpositions, and means for alternately shifting theknife into activeengagement with said reciprocatory means. 1

5. In a slicing machine, a reciprocal knife adapted to be set andsuccessively operated in a plurality of angularly disposed cuttingpositions, actuating means for said knife arranged in each cuttingposition, and means for alternately shifting the knife into activeengagement with said actuating means in each of said angularly disposedpositions.

6. In a slicing machine, comprising a reciprocal knife, a pair ofoperating mechanisms ar-' ranged in angularly disposed positions forsuccessively actuating the knife, and means for alternately moving theknife into active association with said operating mechanisms.

7. In a slicing machine, comprising a reciprocal knife adapted to beactuated in a plurality of angularly disposed cutting positions, aplurality of independently actuated operating mechanisms forsuccessively reciprocating the knife, and means for alternately movingthe knife into active association with said operating mechanisms.

8. Ina slicing machine comprising a reciprocatory knife, a shiftablesupport for said knife adapted to successively move said knife into aplurality of set cutting positions, and a reciprocatory means arrangedin each of the set positions of the knife for actuating said knife inany of its set positions.

9. In a slicing machine comprising a knife adapted for adjustment intoseveral set cutting positions, a reciprocatory means for actuating theknife arranged in each of the cutting positions thereof, and means foralternately moving the knife into active engagement with said reciprocatory means. I

10. In a slicing machine comprising a reciprocal knife, means forautomatically settingthe knife in a plurality of angularly disposedcutting positions, a reciprocatory mechanism arranged in each angularlydisposed cutting position of the knife, and means for shifting the knifeinto active engagement with said reciprocatory mechanism.

12. In a slicing machine, the combination of a feed trough, a hopper atthe inlet end of the feed trough for supplying articles thereto, anintermittently operated conveyor for transporting the articles throughthe trough, a gauge-plate for arresting the forward movement of thearticles at the exit end of the trough, and a reciprocatory knifeadapted to sever slices from the articles restingagainst thegauge-plate, and a slice-releasing mechanism associated with thegauge-plate comprising a plurality of relativelyspaced rods, means forreciprocating said rods after each cutting operation to project the rodsthrough and beyond the face of the gauge-plate to prevent the slicesfrom adhering thereto.

13; In a slicing machine, the combination of a knife, a movable supportfor said knife, a plurality of reciprocatory knife-actuating mechanismsarranged adjacent the support, and means for moving the knife support toalternately shift the knife into active engagement with the actuatingmechanisms.

14. In a slicing machine, the combination of a knife, a movable supportfor said knife, a pair of relatively separated and reciprocatoryoperated knife-actuating mechanisms arranged adjacent the support, andmeans for moving the knife support to alternately shift said knife intoactive engagement with the actuating mechanisms.

15. In a slicing machine, the combination of a knife, a movable supportfor said knife, a pair of alternately operated reciprocatoryknife-actuating mechanisms arranged adjacent the support, and means formoving the knife support to alternately shift said knife into activeengagement with the actuating mechanisms.

GEORGE A. SCHMITT.

